‘Figure fatigue’ for farmers

THE usefulness of statisticians for the agriculture and food industry must be in question after the near 100% variation in their estimates of farm income trends.

It was financial miscalculations that helped to drive Ireland’s economy onto the rocks, and farmers will be taking all figures with a pinch of salt, after three Central Statistics Office estimates which put the 2010 rise in their incomes compared to 2009 at 46% last December (which can be excused because 2010 hadn’t even ended), a more realistic sounding 31.5% last March, and 28% last week, when all the figures (we hope) were in.

The Teagasc National Farm Survey also weighed in last May with their result — an average farm income increase of 48% in 2010.